Automatic signal pressure-head



(No Model.)

- J. H. WINSPEAR.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL PRESSURE HEAD.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. VINSPEAR, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL PRESSURE-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,495, dated December1., 1896.

Application tiled May 18,1896. Serial No. 591,967. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMES H. WINSPEAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, haveinvented an Automatic Pressure-Head for Attachment to the Rail and Tieof a Tramway or Railroad, of which the following is a specification.

The obj ects of myinvention are to provide a simple but durablemechanical device so constructed that when attached to the rail or tieof a tramway or railroad if a car, motor, or other vehicle for traflicupon the rails of the road passes over the device in one direction itwill cause it automatically to drive down a pin, which is divided intoan upper and lower section, against one end of a pivoted lever, so as toraise the opposite end of such lever with sufficient force to set inmotion a train of gears or other suitably-constructed device or machinewhen properly attached to such gear or machine or device, while if thevehicle passes in the opposite direction the lever will not be raised oractuated. l attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of thepressurehead in connection with the rail and in its normal condition.Fig. 2 is a section on the line Y Y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan of thebasecasting. Fig. l is a plan view of the pressure beam. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the pressure-head in connecti on with the rail,theouter plate of the pressure-beam removed and showing the wheel of avehicle moving over it in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 6is a section on the line Z Z, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a part side elevationshowing the pressurehead withv the outer plate of the pressure-beamremoved and the wheel of a vehicle moving over it in the directionindicated by the arrow.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base-casting A forms a seat for one of the rails B of the track, towhich it is securely attached by the clips C and set-screws D. Thecasting extends outward from the rail and rests upon the walls of theboX'E. The pressure-beam F is formed of the two plates G, separated ateither end by the blocks H and at their lower edge by the blocks I. Theblocks I are bored to receive the spiral springs J, and pivoted at oneend between the plates G are the pressure-bars K and L. The other endsof these bars are formed as shown by the drawings and engage with theupper section of the divided or broken pin, formed of the sections M andN. The ends of the bars K and L where pivoted are ush with the top ofthe plates G, but by reason of the springs J the other end of the barsand the pin M are carried above the top of the plates. tance that thepin M 'and bars K and L are permitted to rise above the plates G isregulated by the slots O, cut through the plates, and by the pin P,driven through and protruding from either side of M.

The beam F is supported by the feet f, resting upon the ties of theroad-bed, and is braced and held as one piece with the base-casting bythe'braces R. The feet f are made of such a height that the top edge ofthe plates G will be slightly lower than the head of the rail, while thebars K and L and pin M will be higher than the rail.

Pivoted between the jaw formed o n the under side of the base-casting isthe lever S. The lower section N of the divided or broken pin passesthrough the base-casting and is supported by this lever.

When the pressure-head is in its normal position, Figs. l and 2, thelower section N of the pin is separated a small distance from the uppersection M, as shown, and the lever S, coupled by a rod or otherconnection s to the signal or other machine to be actuated, is held inthe position shown. Now if a vehicle be moved along the rail in thedirection indicated, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) the tread of the wheel willbear upon the bar K, and by the weight of the vehicle the spring will becoin- Apressed and the bar forced down level with the top of the rail.The bar in its downward movement will act upon the pin M, force itagainst the cross-pin T, and, guided by the cross-pin M, will movedownward in a vertical line, strike the upper end of N and cause the endof the lever S to be depressed and likewise the opposite end of thelever to rise. As the outer end of the lever moves from a depressed to ahigher level it carries with it the rod or connection s and actuates thedanger-signal or other machine. Had the vehicle moved along the rail inthe opposite direction,

The dis- IOC or as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 7, the tread of thewheel would bear upon the bar L, and by the weight of the vehicle thespring would be compressed and the bar forced down level with the top ofthe rail. As in the former case, the bar in its downward movement willact upon the pin M and force it against the crosspin U, but in thiscase, as U is situated some distance from the line of M, the lower endof M will be forced sidewise before moving downward. The pin M willtherefore miss pin N, the lever S remain stationary, and the signal orother machine not to be actuated.

lVhile the object of the device is to actuate thelever S and raise theopposite end of sain e, as shown in Fig. 6, which it will do when thefirst wheel of the vehicle has passed over it, as shown in Fig. 5, thespiral springs J J immediately raise bars K and L, carrying with themthe upper section of the pin M to a point above rail B, as shown in Fig.1, leaving the lower section of pin N depressed and seated in thedepressed end of lever S, which lever is so arranged in its adjustmentthat it will continue to remain so depressed until any following wheelsof the same vehicle or train of vehicles have passed over, thus avoidingbut the one shock of the rst wheel of the vehicle on lower section ofpin N, lever S, or on any set of gear or machine lever S may be fastenedto at Lever S is to be so adjusted that it will shortly resume itsnormal position, carrying with it lower section of pin N, as shown inFig. 2. This is accomplished by the winding up of the set of gearing ormachine to which lever is attached at s, and as such gear or machineruns down the lever S, with lower section of pin N, is drawn back intoits normal position.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. An actuating device for working a pivoted lever, one end of whichlever is attached to a train of gears or machine for railway-signaling,opening and closing gates or switches, consisting of a pressure-beamholding bttween its two side plates two bars bolted at one end flushwith such plates and joined together in loose shackle at the other endswith the upper section or head of a drive-pin said bars resting onsprings in such a manner as to elevate the ends of the bars and shackledpin above the upper edge of the beam side plates; said bars and pinbeing held down on the springs by a cross-pin through the drivepinworking in slots in side plates of beam; such shackled pin controlled inits length of forward and backward oscillation between the twobeam-plates by two cross-pins through pressure-beam, the lower sectionof drivingpin held and working up and down in an orifice throughbase-casting and seated on one end of a lever pivoted to base, saidbase-casting securely fastened and braced to rail and beam, so that whendevice is properly placed in position alongside of the rail of arailroad or tramway the wheel of any vehicle passing over such device onsuch rail of the railroad or tramway in one direction will drive downthe upper section' of pin against the lower section of pin driving it inturn against the end of the pivoted lever upon which it is seated andraising with force opposite end of lever, but a wheel of a vehiclepassing over the device on a rail in opposite direction will drive downthe upper section of pin forward of the lower pin, leaving the lowersection of pin and pivoted lever undisturbed, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. The combination of pressure-beam F holding the two bars K and L inloose shackle with drive-pin M, which drive-pin is controlled in itsforward and backward oscillation by cross-pins T and U and in its uposcillation on springs J J by cross-pin P working in slot O lowerdrive-pin N working up and down in an orifice through base-casting A andseated on one end of pivoted lever S, placed in position to rail ofrailroad or tramway. so that the wheel of a vehicle passing over andalong such rail in one direction will press and drive down the two barsK and L and shackled drive-pin M against the lower pin N seated on leverS, or when passing on rail in opposite direction will press downdrive-pin M forward of lower pin N, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. An actuating device, consisting of a pressure-beam, holding betweenits two side plates two bars bolted at one end flush with said platesand joined together in loose shackle at the other ends with a drive-pin,said bars resting on' springs in such a manner as to elevate the end ofthe bars and drivepin above the upper edge of the beam side plates, barsand drive-pin held down on the springs by a cross-pin through thedrive-pin working in slots in side plates of beam, such shackleddrive-pin controlled in its length of forward and backward oscillationbetween the two beam-plates by cross-bolts through pressure-beam so thatwhen device is properly placed alongside of a rail of a railroad ortramway a wheel of a vehicle passing over device on said rail in onedirection will press IOO IIO

drive-pin down vertically, and when passing in opposite direction suchwheel will press drive-pin down, forward and at an acute angle,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 14th day of May, 1896.

JAMES ll. \VINSPEAR.

Witnesses z A. C. POWERS, FRED ANDERSON.

